What types of modifications can be made in a classroom for children with hearing loss?
There are many modifications that can be made in a classroom to help children with hearing loss. In conjunction with hearing aids or cochlear implants, there are modifications that can be made to the classroom itself to make it a more acoustically favorable environment. Minor modifications such as wall-to-wall carpeting, acoustically treated tiles on the ceilings and walls, well-fitted and closed windows and doors and quiet heating/ventilation systems are helpful. Additionally, there are assistive listening devices such as personal FM systems and sound field amplification systems that amplify the teacher’s voice over the background noise, and are quite helpful in classroom settings for children with hearing loss. In fact, amplifying the entire classroom with a sound field amplification system benefits every child in the class – not just the child with hearing loss.
